Stay With Me
by SunnyInOregon
Summary: Suddenly she realized that if he stayed they were not going to be sleeping much.
1. Chapter 1

**Stay With Me**

**Disclaimer: I don't own then, I'm just playing with them.**

Chapter 1

"DAVID!"

Dave turned searching for the source of the scream. The voice sounded familiar but he couldn't quite place it.

"David!" she screamed again. "Help me!"

He started to jog up the street, still not seeing the source of the screams.

"David Rossi!"

He stopped. He knew that voice. "Garcia? Where are you? Garcia!"

"David!"

He runs trying to track her voice. He calls her name again and runs faster. "Garcia! Penelope, where are you!"

He sees a flash of color turn the corner a block away. He runs faster trying to catch up to her. He turns the corner and trips over something on the ground. He lands face down knocking the air out of his lungs. His heart is pounding so hard he can feel it aching in his chest. He sucks in a breath of air and glances back to see what he tripped over.

Her body lay on the ground unmoving. He crawled to her. "Garcia," he cried. He touched her shoulder willing her to wake up. "GARCIA!"

He sat up and looked around the room it was dark and familiar. Sweat poured down his face and his heart was pounding like a freight train in his chest. He slid to the side of the bed reached over and turned on the light.

"What the hell," he muttered. He looked at the clock it was almost 2am. He got his feet and staggered to the bathroom. A quick wash with cold water had him feeling better. He made his way back to his bed turned off the light and slid under the covers. He stared at the ceiling his mind racing.

'What if this is a premonition?' he thought. 'What if she really needs help?'

He was a man who believed in facts but he also believed in his gut and right now his gut was telling him that something was wrong. He sat up again and reached for his cell, she was going to be pissed if nothing was wrong however, it was a risk he was willing to take.

He punched her speed dial number that she had programmed for him and waited. It rang several times and went to voicemail. "Garcia, its Dave but I'm sure you figured that out. Please don't be mad just call me back as soon as you get this."

Not satisfied he scrolled through his address book and dialed her home number. It rang several times as well but never went to an answering machine. After ten rings he hung up and put the phone on the nightstand. Taking a deep breath he rose and began stripping out of his pajamas as he made his way to the closet. Five minutes later he was in his truck heading towards Garcia's apartment.

He knocked on the door and waited trying to be patient. After what felt like forever but in reality was two minutes he reached up to knock again.

"Who is it?" she called through the door before his hand hit the wood.

"Dave, open the door."

"Dave who?" she asked cautiously.

"Rossi!" he says exasperated.

There are several clicks and scrapes as she unlocked the door and opened it a few inches to peer at him. "What the hell!" she exclaimed. She shut the door and he listened to more metal scraping on metal then the door is flung open. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you," he whispered hoarsely.

She frowned at him. "At 3am?"

He stared at her silently for a minute before he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. Garcia stood still trying to figure out why David Rossi was holding her like his long lost sister. Without thinking she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly. There is something raw and vulnerable about his actions and it makes her hold him even tighter.

"What the hell?" Kevin yelled startling them both. Penelope and Dave pulled apart and looked at Kevin. "What are you doing?"

"Hugging," Penelope replied. She looked at Dave noting that he was staring into space. She put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "Why don't you have a seat?"

He looked at her and frowned before shuffling into the front room and sitting on the couch. Garcia watched him for a minute her heart ached in a manner she never felt before.

"Why are you letting him stay here," Kevin whispered angrily.

Garcia pushed him into the bedroom. "There is something wrong!"

"Yes," Kevin agreed. "He has barged into your apartment in the middle of the night once again."

"Look at him," she urged. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. "Look, he came here for a reason. He needs me for something."

"It can't wait until morning?" he asked.

"Apparently not," she replied. "Go back to bed while I talk to him."

"I'm not going to sleep while you guys are in the living room doing God knows what," he said harshly. "I don't trust the guy."

"You think David Rossi is here to seduce me?" she laughed.

"It could happen."

"As exciting as that prospect is, I really don't think that is why he is here," she stated.

"You find the idea of being seduced by David Rossi exciting?" he asked.

"And of course you would latch onto that," she huffed. "Dave is upset, he is here now, deal with it."

"He just walked out the front door," Kevin said without emotion.

"What?"

"He just left," Kevin repeated. "Lock the door and let's go back to bed."

"You're an idiot," she growled. She hurried out of the door just catching the top of his head as he descended the stairs. She hugged her robe tighter to her waist as she raced down the stairs after him. She reached the bottom of the stairs and yelled at him as he reached out for the doorknob.

"Dave wait!"

"I should go," he told her without turning around.

"Talk to me," she said softly. "Obviously something is bothering you I can tell and I'm not even a profiler."

She stepped onto the foyer and approached him. She slid her hand into his and gently turned him around. She stared into his eyes. She felt like she could see all the way through his soul and he looked lost. "Talk to me."

His eyes flashed upwards. "Your boyfriend is coming."

She looked up the stairs and saw Kevin stomp down the stairs fully dressed. He brushed past them. "I'm going home," he announced.

"Ok," Penelope said still holding Dave's hand.

"That's all you're going to say," Kevin asked. He opened the door while still looking at her.

"I'm busy Kevin," she replied through gritted teeth. "I will talk to you later."

"Fine," he replied and stormed out of the building slamming the door behind him.

"Come on," Penelope said as she tugged on Dave's hand leading him back up the stairs.

"I should go," he repeated as they reached her apartment. "I've already caused enough trouble."

"You have not caused any trouble," she admonished "Don't worry about Kevin he's been cranky all night."

She slid his coat off his shoulders and hung it in the closet then led him to the couch and removed his shoes before sitting next to him. "Now you can't runaway as fast," she smiled.

He smiled faintly in return. "I shouldn't have come."

"Something upset you," she pointed out. "And it must have been a doozy because I have never seen this kind of reaction from you before."

He swiped a hand across his face and swallowed hard. She waited as he gathered his thoughts.

"It was a dream," he stated softly. "You were calling for me, screaming for me to help you and I couldn't find you. You kept screaming and you sounded so scared."

She reached out and touched his shoulder. "I'm ok," she said softly.

"I know," he replied not throwing the snarky comeback she expected. "I tried to call you and when you didn't answer I panicked. I had to make sure you were ok."

"We unplugged my house phone," she explained. "And I left my cell in my purse in the closet."

"I was scared," he admitted.

She stared at him this vulnerability she has never seen before surprised her. David Rossi cared for her she realized. It startled her. "You should stay," she said surprising them both.

"Stay," he frowned. He shook his head. "No. I should definitely not do that."

"It's ok," Garcia soothed. She touched his face with her left hand caressing the soft skin under her fingers.

"Not a good idea Penelope," he stated gently.

Suddenly she realized that if he stayed they were not going to be sleeping much. She blinked and tried to suppress the fluttering in her stomach. She should let him walk away forget about what has just transpired and move on but then she remembered the vulnerability she saw and she knows, somehow, she knows that it is not something he shows to just anyone.

She stood up and he stood as well. Again she reached for his hand. "Stay with me," she whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

Stay With Me

Part 2

"So," JJ said slyly. "Penelope Garcia… I hear you have a new man in your life."

Penelope glared at Emily who was sitting next to her on JJ's couch. Emily looked at her innocently. "I don't have to guess what little bird told you that."

"**You** should have told me," JJ scolded. "I mean, really? Are you really dating David Rossi?"

"You sound surprised," Penelope stated.

"I am," JJ countered. She continued quickly as she saw her friend bristle. "Not that he wouldn't choose you or you him. But I thought you and Kevin were a done deal."

"Kevin Lynch," Penelope repeated as she shook her head. "Let's just say that Kevin turned out to be not the right man for me. I knew we were headed in different directions before David showed up on my doorstep at 3am."

JJ laughed remembering the first time Dave had showed up at Penelope's door. "The man has no sense of time when it comes to showing up at your door."

"You don't have to tell me that," Penelope agreed with a nod. "Thankfully he now has his own key."

"You go girl," JJ cheered. Emily laughed in agreement as well.

"And we've all been benefitting from it," Emily stated.

Penelope glared at her again. "What do you mean?"

"Stop glaring at me," Emily laughed. "What I mean is that he's changed. He's not as fussy, he laughs… he even puts up with Reid's rambling. And it's so cute when the two of you are on the phone."

"Oh God," Penelope moaned she lowered her head into her hands to hide her face.

"You should see him," Emily continued. She looked at JJ and leaned forward. "His face gets soft and he drops his voice to a whisper. Sometimes he gets this little smile and his eyes crinkle at the corners. He's totally smitten."

"Oh I dare you to say that to him," Penelope stated as she stood up and walked out of the room.

"She's smitten too," Emily whispered.

JJ snorted. "It doesn't take a profiler to figure that out."

"Figure what out," Penelope asked as she walked back into the room carrying a glass and a bottle of wine.

"Nothing," Emily and JJ said in unison.

"Fine," Penelope huffed. "What are we having for dinner?"

"Pizza," JJ announced as a knock sounded at the door.

"You already ordered?" Emily asked. She reached down for her purse on the floor next to her chair.

"No," JJ replied. She got up and walked to the front door. She opened it and said, "Hi!"

"Hi JJ," Dave said. "Can I come in?"

She glanced over her shoulder to the two women in the living room as she opened the door wider. "Sure, come on in."

Dave stepped in and gave her an awkward hug. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she said as she hugged him back.

"David," Penelope growled. She crossed the room quickly to glare at her boyfriend. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you," he said quietly. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the kitchen.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

"Come with me," he pleaded. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him.

She yanked her hand away and stepped back. "No! You know I have an evening planned with my friends and my godson."

"I know and I'm sorry," he replied. "But I really need you to come with me."

"Damn it, David! Can you please stop thinking about you for one minute and realize that I need some time with my girls?"

"Fine," he acquiesced. "Can I stay?"

She glared at him.

"I take it that is a no," Dave huffed.

"You would be correct."

They stared at each other in silence for a minute before Dave finally spoke. "Please?"

She growled at him. He raised his hands in defeat. "I'm leaving."

He left the kitchen and walked out of the house without saying anything to Emily or JJ.

Dave strode angrily out to his truck. He was mad, beyond mad. It wasn't like he made constant demands on her time. Hell, most of the time they spent together was at work. He rarely got a chance to see her away from the office or outside of whichever bed they were sharing that night.

He drove without thinking and soon found himself sitting in the parking lot of one of his favorite bars. He shut off the engine and stared out the window. He hadn't had the urge to drink in a long while and he realized he really didn't want one now. What he wanted was to spend time with his favorite girl. He started the truck and put it into gear he drove to the one place where he knew he would feel like she was with him.

His cell phone rang startling him out of his paperwork induced stupor. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall it was 2:30 am. He lifted the phone and clicked the answer button.

"Yes kitten."

"Where are you?" she asked her voice sounded heavy with sleep.

"Out," he replied shortly.

"Anywhere close by," she pressed.

"No," he answered tersely.

"So you don't want any company…"

"It's kind of late," he pointed out.

"Never stopped us before."

"I don't know when I'll be home," he sighed.

"You want to come to my place?"

"No."

They are both silent for a few moments. "Ok," she said finally. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," he replied vaguely. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she replied over the click of the phone.

Penelope arrived at the office ten minutes early her eyes bleary and shoulders sagging with tiredness. She had tossed and turned the first half of the night straining her ears for the sound of Dave walking through her door. She had gotten use to him showing up at odd hours but when he wasn't there within half an hour of the bars closing she had gotten worried. She called him and was surprised that he answered the phone with a half-friendly "Yes kitten."

'It was too bad the rest of the conversation wasn't so friendly,' she thought. She spent the next couple of hours lying in bed trying to figure out what was going on and trying not to cry. She had broken up with men before but this time she knew her heart would be broken for a long, long time. David Rossi was a man with a trail of broken hearts behind him. If he left her, her heart wouldn't just be broken it would be shattered.

She entered the BAU bullpen and looked up at his office, the door was open and his light was on. She ascended the stairs and made her way to his door. She shook her head when she saw that he was still wearing the suit he'd had on the day before.

"Spend the night here?" she speculated.

"Obviously," he replied without looking up. He was writing furiously on a yellow notepad several pages had already been covered in ink.

"What are you working on?"

"Notes for the class I'm giving next week at the academy," he told her. He looked up from his notepad. "I'm kind of busy did you need something?"

She frowned at him. "I don't know why you're so mad. You knew I was spending the evening with the girls."

"I'm not mad," he replied shortly then dropped his eyes back to the notepad and started writing again.

"No?" she stated sounding surprised. "You're sure doing a good impression of it without trying."

"I'm not mad," he said, again looking at her. "I don't really care if you want to spend time with your friends."

"Then what is your problem?" she pressed. Her anger at him was beginning to rise.

"There is no problem," he said tightly.

Glaring at the top of his head she realized that she was getting nowhere fast. She decided to drop the subject as she didn't want to break up first thing in the morning. She sighed. "Fine. Are you going to be available for lunch?"

"I should be," he relented. "I'll find you."

"See you later," she said as she walked out of his office.

Penelope growled to herself as she typed furiously on her keyboard. Her day was not going well after a night with little sleep and a short talk with her non-communicative boyfriend she walked into her office to find that her beloved computer had picked up a virus. With all the precautions and patches her baby was sick. It had taken her all morning to get her fixed.

Her phone rang loudly startling her. She punched the button forcefully.

"Garcia," she said irritated.

"Hey," Dave replied. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she said softly. "Are you ready for lunch?"

He let out a breath of air. "I'm sorry, I can't make it."

"Are you kidding me?" her frustration showed in her voice.

"I'm on my way to a meeting."

"Why did you agree to have lunch with me if you knew you had a meeting," she asked exasperated.

"I didn't have a meeting this morning," he said patiently. "Strauss just called me and told me to get over to her office."

"Oh great I'm being stood up in favor of Strauss," she whined.

"I am not standing you up," he said shortly. "I have to go. I'll come over for dinner tonight."

Once again he hung up before she could answer. "Great," she muttered as she hung up the phone.

Several hours later, Penelope and Dave sat on her couch watching a sitcom that neither of them was very interested in. True to his word, Dave showed up at her place just in time for dinner. Now they were both sitting on the couch close but not touching. Penelope watched Dave out of the corner of her eye; she had no idea what she would do when he finally decided to call it quits. She promised herself that she wouldn't beg him to stay even though she knew that that is exactly what she was going to end up doing.

A commercial came on the television Dave used the distraction as an opportunity to get to his feet. Penelope watched as he walked over to the hallway and opened the closet. Her heart skipped as he pulled out his jacket and began to put it on.

"You're not staying the night?" she asked.

"I've been wearing the same clothes for two days," he said shortly. "I want to go home and take a shower. Maybe wear something different tomorrow."

"You have your go bag in your truck," she pointed out. "You could shower here."

"I'd like to sleep in my own bed."

"I could come with you," she suggested as she rose to feet and walked closer to him.

He looked at her for a moment without answering. "Good night, Penelope." He said at last and opened the door.

"David!" she said sharply. "If you're going to break up with me could you do it a little faster?"

He stopped walking out the door and slowly turned around. "I'm not breaking up with you. I just need some space."

She nodded unconvinced. "Can I have a kiss? You haven't kissed me in days."

He walked over to her and bent his head his mouth found hers unerringly. She expected a chaste kiss instead his mouth felt like desperation and that nagging vulnerability that pulled her to him in the first place as he plundered her lips recklessly. She threaded her fingers in his hair and held him close. She felt his fingers clasp her hips and slowly slide up her sides and around her back as their tongues continued to dance together.

"Stay with me," she whispered as they broke for a breath of air. Her eyes searched his looking for an answer that he was unwilling to state aloud.

"Penelope," he whispered harshly.

She eased out of his embrace and moved to the door. He watched as she closed it and locked it for the night. She grabbed his hand and led him to her bed.

"Stay with me," she repeated.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Penelope leaned against Morgan's desk and tried to relax. She shifted from foot to foot her eyes never leaving the elevator lobby. The team had been gone for a week and she was anxious to see them, especially Dave. She had decided to end this silliness that had been going on between them since the night at JJ's. Yes, he had spent the one night with her and then he and the team had left on a case but it felt like they were still arguing or whatever it was they were doing. She was tired of it.

The elevator doors open and the team spilled out. Morgan and Emily were laughing, Reid looked embarrassed while Hotch and Dave just looked tired. She straightened from the desk as they entered the room.

"Hey Baby Girl," Morgan greeted her.

"Welcome home," she said brightly. "David we need to talk."

"Right now," he sighed stopping in front of her.

"Yes! I'm tired of this," she told him. Hotch went to his office as the rest of the team hovered around Emily's desk. "I wish you would just tell me what the problem is so we can fix it and get on with our lives."

"There is no problem," he said quietly.

"Obviously there is," she yelled at him. "You won't talk to me."

"I talk to you all the time," he replied.

"About work," she bit back. "We hardly spend any time together, you only call when you have to and you don't want to sleep with me anymore!"

"Not true" he said as he glanced around the bullpen. Morgan, Prentiss and Reid were trying to look like they were not paying attention but doing a bad job of it. "We slept together the night before I left."

"Only because I practically begged you," she said indignantly.

"That was begging?"

"Don't be flip," she yelled. "Just admit that you're upset about me spending the evening with my friends."

"I'm not upset about you spending time with your friends," he yelled back. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Then what is it?" her voice broken with emotion.

"You changed the day," he said reluctantly. "You were supposed to do that on Saturday instead you went on Thursday."

"What's the big deal?" she frowned. "JJ had family coming on Saturday. Did we have plans I didn't know about?"

"It was a special day," he relented quietly as he walked past her towards his office.

She stood there frowning trying to figure out what was so special about Thursday. "Can you enlighten me" she said to his retreating back.

"It doesn't matter anymore," he replied over his shoulder. He walked into his office and closed the door.

Penelope looked at her friends. "Anyone know what was so special about last Thursday?"

"Not a clue Baby Girl," Morgan replied. Emily shook her head and even Reid was at a loss for an answer.

Hotch walked out of his office. "Are you two done yelling in the bullpen?" he asked.

Garcia nodded. "Sorry boss." She said softly. She turned and started for her office then stopped and turned back to Hotch. "Bossman, can you think of anything special about last Thursday?"

He frowned for a moment then nodded. "It was Dave's birthday," he said nonchalantly.

Penelope is frozen for a moment then turned to look at her friends in horror. "I forgot his birthday?"

"What are you going to do?" Emily asked.

"First," Penelope said swallowing the lump in her throat. "I need to go beg for forgiveness. After that I am not certain."

She shuffled to Dave's office opened the door and entered without knocking or waiting for permission.

"I'm a horrible girlfriend," she said without preamble.

He looked up at her and sighed. "No you're not."

"I forgot your birthday," she said with a sob.

He shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Hah!" she spat. "You've been upset with me since then apparently it is a big deal."

He got up from his desk and walked past her to close the door. He took her hand and led her to the couch pulling her down next to him.

"You would think at my age celebrating a birthday would not be a big deal and really it wasn't that I wanted to celebrate getting older," he began. He laughed and leaned back on the couch. She shifted to watch him. "It's silly actually. I haven't had a party in years and wasn't expecting one this time but I wasn't expecting you to forget. For the first time in forever, I have someone special in my life. Someone who, until that day never forgot a special event."

She opened her mouth to speak and he held up a hand to stop her.

"I'm more upset at me for being upset with you," he continued. "I had an expectation in my mind and when it didn't happen I was hurt. But it wasn't and isn't fair of me to hold that against you as you clearly had no idea what was going on. I went to JJ's to try to get you to leave with me so that I could take you out to dinner. I had reservations at a place in DC and wanted to impress you."

"You don't need to take me out to dinner to impress me," she stated gently.

He laughed harshly and held her gaze. "I know. It's just… you do so much for me and I so little for you," his voice was raw with emotion. "I love you."

She leaned towards him and placed her hand over his heart. "I love you too."

"There was something else that I wanted to do that night," he said as he slipped away from her touch and slid to the floor in front of her. "You make me do and say things that no one else ever has. I need you in a way that I have never felt before, Penelope."

He held his hand out to her and opened it laying in his palm was a gold banded ring holding one perfectly formed diamond.

"Stay with me?" he whispered.

She smiled, "Forever."


End file.
